Burnin' For You
by Elvawen
Summary: In the end, it's a song that helps Sam realize what his brother has just done for him. [Tag to AHBL part 2]


**Disclaimer:** Supernatural is not mine, neither is the Blue Öyster Cult song "Burnin' For You".

**Author's notes:** Read and review, please:)

* * *

Sam and Dean sat silently in the Impala. Usually these long trips were filled with insightful (or not, depending on the mood they were in) conversations, and bad jokes that made them laugh a little too hard. But this time, the only sound came from Blue Öyster Cult's "Burnin' For You" playing quietly on the stereo and the _whoosh_ of the wind as the car glided down a lonely highway. Sam found himself listening closely to the lyrics, and what he heard meant a lot more to him than it had the last time Dean played this song.

_Home in the valley  
__Home in the city  
__Home isn't pretty  
__Ain't no home for me  
__Home in the darkness  
__Home on the highway  
__Home isn't my way  
__Home I'll never be _

I can never go home. Sam almost chuckled at this, remembering the first hunt the brothers had been on since he had gone to college; when it all started. But it was true. For them, home _was_ in the darkness, home _was_ on the highway. Sam wondered if he would ever call any place home again.

_Burn out the day  
__Burn out the night  
__I can't see no reason to put up a fight  
__I'm living for givin' the devil his due  
__And I'm burnin', I'm burnin', I'm burnin' for you  
__I'm burnin', I'm burnin', I'm burnin' for you _

Sam's heart sank at this, and he fought the urge to switch the music off immediately; instead shifting uncomfortably and staring out of the window. He hadn't quite come to grips with it yet – the only reason Dean was living was for him. He knew that Dean wanted the best for him, maybe even a normal life. Was Dean seeing a reason to 'put up a fight', or was this all some sort of crazy death wish? He had spent the majority of his life saving his younger brother, but now that it came down to it, Sam wondered if Dean would even let Sam save him.

_Time is the essence _

_Time is the season  
__Time ain't no reason  
__Got no time to slow  
__Time everlasting  
__Time to play besides  
__Time ain't on my side  
__Time I'll never know _

Sam drew in a deep, shaky breath and leaned back against the seat; it was too much. Too coincidental, too perfect. Dean, noticing his brother's discomfort, turned off the music.

"Guess you kinda hate that song now, right?" He half-chuckled, and Sam feigned confusion.

"What song? Oh, that. What? No, I wasn't even listening to the—"

"Bull," said Dean simply, cutting him off.

"It just…it actually means something to me now. It's almost like they wrote it for us." Dean snorted.

"Oh, so now we're a couple, and we have a song?"

"Shut up, Dean." Sam glared at him. "You _know_ what I meant."

"Yeah." Dean sighed. "So. What do you want me to say? I'm sorry? 'Cause I'm not. And all this angsty, chick-flick crap is getting old and fast." Sam shrugged.

"I don't want you to say anything."

"Then I won't."

"Fine."

"Fine!" Dean almost punched the Power button, and the song resumed.

_Burn out the day  
__Burn out the night  
__I'm not the one to tell you what's wrong and what's right  
__I've seen suns that were freezing and lives that were through  
__And I'm burnin', I'm burnin', I'm burnin' for you  
__I'm burnin', I'm burnin', I'm burnin' for you._

Sam stared out of the window again. He loved Dean more than anything else in the world, but the guy could be an _asshole_ when he wanted to.

"I'm sorry, Sam." The words were spoken so quickly and there was such a dead silence after they were gone that Sam wondered if Dean had actually said it.

"You are?" asked Sam.

"Yeah," came the reply.

"But you just said you weren't!" Sam protested.

"Well, I changed my mind." Sam stared at Dean, confused.

"What, in the last three seconds?"

"Sammy, about the deal…" Dean began. Sam held up a hand, stopping his brother from saying whatever he had been about to say.

"I don't want to know." Dean frowned at this.

"What? Why not?"

"It doesn't matter why you made it."

"It doesn't?"

"Not if I'm going to get you out of it," said Sam firmly. Dean gave a trace of a smile and settled back in his seat, eyes focused on the road ahead.


End file.
